Orpheus & Eurydice

Jonny does not make it a habit of spending the night at Cassiopeia’s. He still comes over once in a while to take naps while she runs errands, but ever since the night where she almost let it spill about her mom, he hasn’t come barging in in the middle of the night.

She also hasn’t seen him in a couple of weeks. It’s the beginning of April and he explained that he might be busy with playoffs approaching and road trips. She didn’t really mind, it gave her some time to breathe without Jon’s overwhelming negative energy, although she will admit it’s been getting less and less strong.

She’s currently mashing some avocados to make gauc to go with her hummus for dinner. She had to work at Earth Lore all day and she’s really tired and can’t wait to go to sleep after she meditates.

She’s just about done when a knock on her door sounds through the apartment. She yells a come in and turns around to grab pita chips from her cupboard and vegetables from her fridge.

When she turns back, she’s surprised to see Jonny standing there. He has stitches on the side of his face, right on his cheekbone under his left eye. She makes a mental note to give him some of a cream she made a while back for scars.

“Hey, want some gauc?” She asks as she sits at her island and beckons him over. He stays where he’s standing and she gives him a weird look.

“I – I can’t stay. My teammates want to go out tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?”

She thinks about it for a few seconds and nods her head yes.

“Oh, okay, cool. I’ll wait here while you go get ready.” He tells her. She looks at him funny and looks down at what she’s wearing.

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

His eyebrows raise and he quickly backtracks on his statement.

“I – no I mean, you look great. I was just wondering if you – ah, you know, want to put something on?” His face is getting all red and Cassiopeia smiles at him.

“Put what on?”

“A bra?”

She looks down at her chest and deems raw boob suitable for tonight.

“Nah, I’m ok. Let’s go, I’m sure your friends are waiting.”

Jonny gives her a helpless look that she ignores while she picks up her bag and turns to him.

“Well?”

He huffs and walks out of her apartment and she follows him. They’re silent as they walk to his car that’s parked outside and Cassiopeia only speaks up when they get deep into the city.

“So, where are we going?”

“Um, just a club downtown. Is that alright?” He looks over at her while they’re stopped at a red light and she smiles.

“Of course! I haven’t been to a club in a while.” Jon furrows his brows and keeps driving through traffic. He clears his throat and shifts in his seat.

“I – you never mentioned how old you are?”

Cassiopeia stifles a laugh and looks out at the big building around them.

“I’m 21.”

“Good, that’s good.” He seems relived and this time she doesn’t hide her laugh from him.

“Did you think you were sleeping naked with an underage girl?” Jonny’s cheeks color and he doesn’t say anything as they pull into a parking structure. Jonny takes his time parking his expensive car and they both get out at the same time, but before they walk into the club, Jonny grabs Cassiopeia’s arm and tugs her back.

“If you feel uncomfortable at all, just tell me and we’ll leave.” She scrunches up her nose.

“Stop worrying about me.”

She turns on her heel and promptly walks into the club, flashing her ID, while Jonny scrambles to catch up to her. She really wasn’t lying when she said it’s been a while since she’s been to a bar. The club is pretty dim and it’s packed so Cassiopeia has a hard time moving in the crowd.

That’s where Jonny comes in. He grabs her by her upper arm – not too tight, and leads her over to a corner of the club where a door is.

“Where are we going?” She shouts over the music. He doesn’t answer, just makes eye contact with the man guarding the door and before Cassiopeia knows it, they’re through the door and into a VIP section.

It’s much quieter in here, she notices. There are a lot more couches and even a private bar and the people that are scattered in here look up at them when they walk in and they all cheer.

Jonny doesn’t let go of her, instead he slides his hand down until it reaches her hand and they’re palm on palm. He links their fingers together and looks down at her with a questioning look in his eyes.

“Ok?”

She rolls her eyes and untangles her hand from his. He looks a little surprised but lets it happen.

“I’m mango-y, Jonny. Go get me a water.”

“No alcohol?” He questions.

“Not unless it’s vegan.” She answers simply and walks off towards the group of people that shouted their way when they entered. She can tell he hesitant to let her wander by herself, like she’s some little girl that’s gonna get her feelings hurt.

She reaches the group and everyone seems to let their conversations still as she stands there.

“Namaste! I’m Jonny’s friend, Cassiopeia.” She starts.

A blonde boy gets up from where he’s sitting and she recognizes him from Earth’s Healing Café. She grins at him and holds her hand out.

“We’ve met before but I forgot your name, sorry.” He laughs but shakes her hand anyway, pulling her in closer so they don’t have to shout.

“Patrick Kane, but you can call me Pat.”

“What’s your sign?”

He looks confused for a moment so Cassiopeia clears things up for him.

“Astrological?”

Pat still looks confused but still answers her question.

“Scorpio. Why?”

“Hm, suits you. Are you good friends with Jonny?” She asks. She always wondered what kind of friends he would have. Would they be just like him, uptight and controlling? Or would they be opposites, carefree and silly?

“Sure, I guess. I mean, we play on the same team. Kinda hard to not be friends with Tazer.” She smiles at the nickname.

“Are you good friends with him?” The way Pat asks the question makes Cassiopeia scrunch her eyebrows and frown. Before she can answer though, a heavy arm is draped across her shoulder and she’s dragged away from Pat until she’s standing in front of two other men.

She waves at them and they grin back at her. She looks up at the man who has his arm around her and he smirks at her.

“Patrick Sharp, we’ve met before.”

“Ah yes, the two Patrick’s.” He laughs and maneuvers her so she’s sitting in between another teammate of Jonny’s, she’s assuming, and himself. Patrick is emitting some really great vibes and Cassiopeia is drawn to him immediately.

“You have great energy. Can I read your cards sometime?” She asks.

“Are you asking for my number?” He looks genuinely curious and she giggles at him.

“No, no, tarot cards. I think yours would be very interesting. To see if you’re on the right path or what’s in store for your future. Are you married?”

“Um, yes. You’re very forward, has anyone ever told you that?” She ignores his dig at her personality and keeps asking him questions.

“Is there anything you’re curious about with your future? Do you have children? Or how you’re gonna die? I could probably tell you when you’re gonna win that trophy next, the one Jonny was telling me about.” She rambles. Patrick looks very confused, most people do after she starts asking questions related to card reading.

“So, how do you know Toes?” Patrick changes the subject, rather abruptly. He must’ve been intimidated with all the pestering. Cassiopeia tilts her head at his question, not knowing what he means. Patrick must see her confusion because he laughs and says, “Jon.”

“Oh! Jonny. He came into the store I work at and then I recognized him at Earth’s Healing Café and he gave me his number.”

Patrick hums at this and Cassiopeia takes a chance to look around the room. She manages to catch Jonny’s eye as it looked like he was searching for her. He’s on his way over to her when Patrick asks her another question.

“Are you sleeping with him?”

She looks over at him and he’s smirking at her. Cassiopeia doesn’t really know how to answer that question because denying it would be wrong, because they do sleep together, just not the in the way he’s thinking.

“Well, not sexually. But one time we were naked –”

“Cass!” She jumps and notices that Jonny has come over with a beer in his hand and her water in the other. His face is all red – what’s new – and he’s glaring daggers at Patrick.

“Please finish that story.” Patrick laughs and she smiles at him.

“Fuck off, Sharpy.” Cassiopeia blinks as Jonny shoves Sharpy to the side so he can sit next to her. He hands her the water and leans down to whisper all the people he knows in her ear so she doesn’t look so lost.

“You’re sitting next to Brent Seabrook. I lived with him my first year here.” Cassiopeia would love to hear the stories about Jonny as a little 18 year old from Brent. She makes a mental note to drag him aside and ask about them later.

Cassiopeia interrupts Jonny about talking about his teammates to ask if he wants to dance. She can see Pat dancing with some girls around him and it looks fun to her. He gives her a surprised look and she pokes him in the arm.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun.”

“I don’t really dance.” She frowns at him.

“Everyone dances, Jonny.”

“Yeah, Jonny just go dance with your girl.” Brent Seabrook says from the other side of her. She gives him a grin and turns back towards Jonny with a hopeful look on her face.

“Please?”

He sighs and nods his head yes and he grabs her hand to lead her to the dance floor. She doesn’t recognize the song that’s playing but it doesn’t deter her from her mission. The girls that Pat are dancing with are dancing all close to him and grinding up against him. Cassiopeia assumes that Jonny would never want to dance like that, so she keeps her distance and closes her eyes, swaying to the beat.

She starts getting really into it when she feels someone grab her hips. Her eyes fly open and are met with the sight of someone’s chest. She looks up to see Jonny and he’s clenching his jaw very tightly and looking angry.

She stops dancing and puts space in between them to see what’s wrong. She sees the other girls on the dance floor looking at her warily and whispering to each other.

“What’s wrong?”

Jonny looks down at her and it looks like he pities her, like he’s saying sorry with his eyes.

“Seriously, what’s bothering you?” She feels scrutinized under his gaze and hates it more than anything.

“They were laughing at you,” he says through clenched teeth. Cassiopeia goes to look over the group of girls but Jon moves so she can’t see them.

“It’s not a big deal, Jonny. People laugh at me a lot.”

And it’s true. Cassiopeia knows she’s not like other girls and she’s very upfront, but it doesn’t bother her. But it looks like it bothers Jonny.

“Are you embarrassed of me?” She asks. It’s all right if he is, she gets that she can be overwhelming.

“What! No, Cass, no.” His eyes are boring into hers and she doesn’t know if she believes him or not.

“How about I just go? I’ll catch a cab home.”

She turns to go back to the tables to catch her bag but Jonny grabs her hand at the last minute.

“You don’t have to leave.”

“I know.” She says simply.

“I don’t want you to leave.”

“Well, I’m leaving.”

“Well then I’m coming with you.” She frowns at him.

“You’re not leaving your friends, Jonny. Just stay. I can find a way home, I’m a big girl.”

She tries to let go of his hand but he just holds on tighter.

“I’d rather just be with you, ok? Let me go get your bag and we’ll leave.” With that he drops her hand and nearly sprints over to where they were sitting and is back with her bag before she can protest.

He leads her out of the club and into his car with no talking from either of them. When they finally start driving, she decides to speak up.

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Do what?” He mumbles

“Leave your friends. I’m sure they wanted to spend time with you. I don’t want you to leave just cause I need a ride home.” She frowns.

“Look, Cassiopeia, if I wanted to stay, I would’ve stayed, ok? And for the record, I’m not embarrassed of you. I just didn’t like how they were laughing at you.” He glances at her quickly.

“Okay.” She says. She’s never had someone stick up for her before.

He pulls up to her apartment and cuts the engine.

“Well, are you coming up? I need to meditate, you’re welcome to join.” She asks. He smiles at her and nods his head yes.